The best bars in Mexico City

Mexico City is most readily enjoyed with a cocktail in hand, and the city’s best bars cater for all tastes and moods. Navigate its rich mix of rooftop bars and old-school cantinas with our pick of the best places to drink in Mexico City, one salt-rimmed margarita at a time. Aromatic and herbal flavours marry with traditional Mexican distils such as mezcal and tequila, so be prepared for a whirlwind of unique agave-fuelled libations that last well into the early hours. There’s also a flourishing natural wine scene, whether you prefer to sip your glass on a laid-back street corner or pair it with a pulsing baseline at 2am (for more on that, check out our guide to the city’s live music scene). Pick up some tacos from one of the city’s best restaurants to soak it all up with, too.

Roma Norte

Salón Palomilla

Best for: A hidden rooftop location in Roma Norte
Address: Av. Yucatan 84c, Roma Nte, Cuauhtémoc, 06700 Ciudad de México, CDMX
Price: Cocktails starting at 220 MXN / 13 USD

The drawcard of Salón Palomilla is its discreet rooftop location in the heart of Roma Norte. On arrival, guests skate through the kitchen of renowned taco restaurant Paramo, before surfacing at the jewel-toned lounge. The vibe is cosy yet energetic with a livelier crowd arriving at the weekend. The bar serves craft beer, a small selection of mezcal and classic cocktails, including an exceptional negroni sbagliato. There’s a strong food menu dishing up wood-fired plates and Mediterranean-inspired flavours.

Tlécan

Best for: Artisanal mezcal from small-batch producers
Address: Av. Álvaro Obregón 228-Local 2, Roma Norte, Cuauhtémoc, 06700 Ciudad de
México, CDMX
Price: Mezcal shots starting at 150 MXN / 9 USD

Tlécan is a mezcaleria that champions local distilling culture with a stellar selection of small-batch agave and non agave-based spirits from all over Mexico, including Oaxaca, Jalisco and Durango. Cocktail-wise, we’d recommend the tequila-based white paloma or, for something more adventurous, try the tascalate sour – a concoction inspired by the famous fermented cacao-based beverage from Chiapas. Atmospheric interiors are designed to resemble entering a pre-Hispanic tomb, in an earthy terracotta palette. The kitchen delivers sharing plates that pay homage to the different flavours of the city – think sope with beans and green corn served with a pumpkin seed dip.

686 Bar

Best for: After-dinner drinks, mellow cocktails
Location: Tonala 133, Roma Norte, Cuauhtémoc, Mexico City, 06700
Price: Cocktails starting at 150 MXN / 7.5 USD

Situated above Em restaurant in Roma Norte, 686 Bar is the perfect place for an intimate date night. The tables are small and dimly lit, while waiters dressed in white serve classic cocktails with a twist. Try the aviator with gin, St Germain and lemon, or a spicy margarita prepared with red chilli liquor, yuzu and kefir syrup. The snack menu hits the spot with small savoury bites like delicate beef tartare with avocado and black garlic. The portions and cocktails run on the petite side, but the quality and flavour make it all worth it. Reservations are recommended.

Hugo El Wine Bar

Best for: Natural and low-intervention wines, excellent negronis
Location: Avenida Veracruz 38, Roma Norte, Cuauhtémoc, Mexico City, 06700
Price: Average per person 600 MXN / 30 USD

Hugo El Wine Bar combines a natural and low-intervention wine list with a well-executed menu inspired by French and New York bistros. The service is friendly and the waiters are on hand to recommend a bottle or glass to suit your mood – the personal experience is made all the more intimate when you sit at the bar. Dive into the wine list, or, if not so well versed on your varietals, try the short but sweet cocktail menu – Hugo’s negronis are widely considered among the best in the city.

Café de Nadie

Best for: Cocktails with a vinyl DJ soundtrack
Location: Chihuahua 135, Roma Norte, Cuauhtémoc, Mexico City, 06700
Price: Cocktails starting at 160 MXN / 8 USD

Café de Nadie has everything you need for a good night out: a high-definition sound system banging out funky music, a ready-to-party social scene and well-poured inventive serves. The kitchen offers a small-plates menu that pairs perfectly with the drinks – all the more reason to arrive for dinner and stay the entire night. The bartenders are known for playing with classic cocktails and adding a local twist, such as their mezcal negroni, which is definitely worth a try. The bar is also within walking distance of some of the best restaurants in town, so it could make an excellent destination to finish off the night after a good feast.

Salón Rosetta

Best for: A lush, decorative salon environment
Location: Colima 166, Roma Norte, Mexico City, 06700. Located on the 3rd floor
Price: Cocktails starting at 180 MXN / 9 USD

On the third floor of an early 20th-century mansion in Roma, this elegant yet relaxed bar is a great place to kick-start your Friday or Saturday night. The cocktails are mostly floral, balanced and presented with delicate garnishes to pair with Italian-inspired bar snacks. Go for the cacao fashion, one of the house specialties prepared with cacao flour. An equal highlight here is the decor: sitting pretty in a lush salon surrounded by Japanese tapestries and 19th-century architectural details is reason enough to visit. Order any drink on the menu, recline on the banquet sofa and while the afternoon away.

Cuauhtémoc

Le Tachinomi Desu

Best for: Rare sake, natural wine, and Japanese whisky in a vibey standing bar
Location: Río Pánuco 132-1a, Cuauhtémoc, Mexico City, 06500
Price: Average per person 600 MXN / 30 USD

Le Tachinomi Desu recreates the vibe and mood of a classic Japanese standing bar (or tachinomi). It’s small, with no seating available, but offers enough room to cram about 20 people in. The drinks collection includes rare sakes from traditional Japanese producers, natural wine and Japanese whisky, making it one of the best-curated bars in town. A small omakase menu is also available with a fixed price per person, which is well worth checking out. It’s no surprise that reservations are an absolute must.

Fifty Mils

Best for: Expertly crafted cocktails in an elegant hotel courtyard
Location: Four Seasons Hotel, Avenida Paseo de la Reforma 500, Cuauhtémoc, Mexico City, 06600
Price: Mezcal pour starting at 90 MXN / 4.5 USD

Fifty Mils is located in the leafy courtyard of The Four Seasons hotel. An elegant seven-metre-long marble counter takes centre stage – we recommend perching here to drink in the top-notch hospitality. You’ll find classics crafted with a contemporary edge alongside a lengthy selection of signature concoctions inspired by local ingredients that are presented beautifully at the table. Come for the drinks and stay for the stylish setting with Chesterfield sofas, vintage rugs and dark wood panelling.

Centro histórico (historic centre)

Bosforo

Best for: Mezcal, mezcal and more mezcal
Location: Luis Moya 31- 2, Centro Historico, Cuauhtémoc, Mexico City, 06010
Price: Mezcal pour starting at 90 MXN / 4.5 USD

Bosforo is hands down the best bar in Mexico City to drink mezcal, and that’s seriously saying something. Located in a quiet street in downtown, the split-level bar offers an extensive list of mezcals from regions such as Michoacán, San Luis Potosí and, of course, Oaxaca. The eclectic music selection, candlelight ambience, ensemble of locals and foreigners, plus the traditional agave distillations, come together to create a memorable mise-en-scène. Despite its lack of online presence, Bosforo’s popularity has grown via word of mouth to become a local institution. Swerve the crowds by making it a midweek visit.

La Opera

Best for: Afternoon drinks, beers and margaritas in ornate surroundings
Location: Avenida 5 de Mayo #10, Centro Histórico, Cuauhtémoc, Mexico City, 06000
Price: Cocktails starting at 100 MXN / 5 USD

The most famous historical cantina in Mexico City – situated in the heart of Centro Historico – this architectural marvel dates back to the early 19th century. The service and cocktails are old-school, so the best option is to opt for well-served, uncomplicated drinks, such as a vodka tonic, classic margarita, or a cold beer. Pencil in your visit to La Opera after a day spent exploring the streets, museums and colonial architecture of Mexico City’s downtown district.

Polanco

Ticuchi

Best for: Cocktails and mezcal in a fashionable space
Location: Petrarca 254, Polanco, Miguel Hidalgo, Mexico City, 11560
Price: Cocktails starting at 180 MXN / 9 USD

This cocktail, tequila and mezcal bar is the brainchild of Mexican chef Enrique Olvera from Pujol – which many consider to be the city’s best restaurant. Low-lit, dark and sexy, each cocktail at Ticuchi is put together with precision and flair, mixed with in-house bitters, herbal concoctions and small brand local liquors. The bar also offers an impressive selection of mocktails and non-alcoholic Mexican drinks, like tepache (a pineapple fermented drink) and a short-but-delicious, corn-centric snack menu. The price per person is higher than most other places, but the atmosphere, hospitality and quality of drinks more than justify the expense. When in doubt as to what mezcal to order, go for the mezcal de la casa – a specially made batch distilled by artisanal mezcaleros for Ticuchi.

Condesa

Baltra Bar

Best for: Martini Tuesdays, signature cocktails, afternoon drinks
Location: Iztaccihuatl 36D, Colonia Condesa, Cuauhtémoc, Mexico City, 06100
Price: Cocktails starting at 160 MXN / 8 USD

Found in the creative neighbourhood of Condesa, Baltra Bar’s outdoor seating makes an ideal spot for a pre-dinner aperitif. The cocktails are well calibrated with botanical and herbal flavours, but the definite winner is the classic martini, so much so that the bar devotes an entire weeknight to the drink. Martini Tuesdays have fast become the place to be get acquainted with the movers and shakers of Mexico City’s hospitality industry.

Juárez

Handshake Bar

Best for: Master mixology in a speakeasy
Location: C. Amberes 65, Juárez, Cuauhtémoc, 06600 Ciudad de México, CDMX
Price: Miniature cocktails starting at 100 MXN / 6 USD

Handshake Bar currently takes third position on the World’s 50 Best Bars list, making it a destination for local cocktail enthusiasts and tourists alike.The menu includes classic concoctions, such as piña coladas and martinis, alongside playful creations – we loved the matcha yuzu highball, which blends whisky matcha, vanilla yuzu and whey. Interiors are sophisticated in a palette of dark wood, velvet, brass and black marble. The bar doesn’t offer walk-ins, so be sure to book your two-hour slot ahead.

Long Story Short

Best for: Mood, music and masterful cocktails
Location: Florencia 51-Local B2, Juárez, Cuauhtémoc, 06600 Ciudad de México, CDMX
Price: Cocktails starting at 180 MXN / 10 USD

Resting on the outskirts of the vibrant Zona Rosa neighbourhood in Juárez, Long Story Short presents a drinks menu inspired by legendary music artists such as Bob Marley, Amy Winehouse and Frank Sinatra, alongside a small selection of low-alcoholic drinks. Try the Mezcalong – an agave-based cocktail with watermelon shrub, lime and a refreshing soda. The apricot negroni is a delicious take on the Italian classic with a slightly sweeter bite. Unsurprisingly, a killer soundtrack creates a feel-good vibe, which often sees people dancing into the small hours.

San Rafael

Travieso Travieso Travieso

Best for: natural wine, late-night dancing, Thursday nights
Location: C. Joaquín Velázquez de León 126, San Rafael, Cuauhtémoc, 06470 Ciudad de
México, CDMX
Price: Wine by the glass starting at 200 MXN / 12 USD

Travieso Travieso Travieso is one of the newest additions to Mexico City’s drinking scene. Situated in the up-and-coming San Rafael neighbourhood, the bar is only open on Thursdays and focuses on wines from small local producers, while a weekly changing food menu is headed up by a roster of local chefs. Sure, the flavours might be different each week, but the eclectic music and exceptional wine remains the same. Later in the night, the lights are dimmed and the space comes alive with people dancing. Keep an eye on Instagram for more details on upcoming DJ and chef takeovers.

Still thirsty? Discover the complete ROADBOOK Mexico City guide, including brilliant boutique stays, top-notch restaurants and the art galleries you won’t want to miss.